This time, Xian didn't die, for what it was worth, but he was left in shock all the same as darkness and silver lights flashed around him. For a moment, it felt as though he were a weightless piece of wood, drifting in water, until a sudden force seized him and dragged him back.
Then, once again he was in front of the villainess, the same scene repeating before his eyes. Quick on his feet, he immediately bowed before she could question him.
"I greet the lady." This time, he didn't hesitate nor stare agape at Carmillia's beauty. Instead, he postured as he was taught by Moris and bowed, showcasing the etiquette of a proper butler.
Still, the usual black heart and number didn't change. She still wanted him away from her sight for unknown reasons.
"Hmm."
Carmillia rose gracefully from her seat, extending a pale hand. At once, the swordmaiden who had once severed Xian's neck drew her blade and placed it reverently in her mistress's grasp. With a languid motion, Carmillia leveled the weapon at him, the tip sliding beneath his chin and tilting his head upward. It's cold edge grazing his neck.
"Were you permitted to speak?"
The number '19' went down to '17'. It still changed despite his show of respect, but at least, no beheading occurred.
'Why does she hate me so much?'
He knew that, appearance-wise, the lady despised him. Yet such animosity must have a cause, even for someone as unreasonable as Carmillia.
He had watched her die cruelly moments ago, yet her cold disdain was already erasing what little pity he had felt for her.
Closing his eyes in an act of submission, he pleaded, "Please forgive this unworthy servant.".
That did the trick as her mood reverted to '20'.
"At least, you know your place."
Just like before, she scrutinized him with a frown before turning to leave with her guards. This time, she didn't talk about the one week deadline of preparation.
After they left, Xian just stood unmoving.
His mind was occupied about Carmillia's death that just transpired.
The 'safe dates' of the game was no longer reliable. The first period of the month where the player got used to the interface and molded their character into their liking is no more.
A variable like the coachman's assassination attempt occurred as proof. As he began his journey in an undiscovered route, there wasn't any information he was equipped with regarding the events.
He only knew one thing. That death, came to the villainess as much as she gave them to others.
'Revenge.'
The coachman acted alone and was exceedingly powerful. Xian didn't know anyone with that much of power in the game this early on. But his fighting methods were familiar enough for him to recognize.
The way he caught blades with his arms, his movements flowing like waves, the incredible strength carried within those seemingly soft motions and his brutal method of killing enemies, — all of it was familiar.
Yet the figure who surfaced in his mind was someone long dead before the story had even begun.
The description fit the 'missing' father of a Heroine who had a grudge with Carmillia. A martial class who excelled in palm techniques and possessed a body akin to a weapon.
His daughter inherited a rare gift that marked her for greatness, but an injury led to that potential being suppressed.
Later in her route, the protagonist heals her injury, making her an almost untouchable martial master who came at her enemies with lethal and precise strikes.
'The owner of foresight eye.' An eye that can partly 'see' the future it's owner desires to know. In combat, its effectiveness was fully showcased by evading attacks with minimal movements and disrupting opponents.
She became one of the top favorites among martial classes, as her foresight allowed her to deal massive damage by interrupting enemies amidst their moves. She's basically the bane of anyone that takes time or sequence to use their skills. Especially magicians.
But that's a topic for another time.
That man, being dead prior to the start of the game meant he got killed early on and shouldn't be able to assassinate the lady.
Now, there's him, a variable in the storyline. The route turned out like that maybe because he replaced the butler? And he was somehow supposed to influence his death, but since he replaced the original, that didn't happen. This further solidifies if he thinks about the time the coachman called him a 'special butler'.
He was wary of his arrival.
'Yep, that must be it.'
Xian also realized a key difference to his regression this time. Compared to the first two, it was the villainess who had died.
His expression twitched as he recalled the way Carmillia was killed. The culprit definitely bore a grudge deep enough for him to sacrifice his life.
But anyways, he found that unlike before, he had some awareness as he regressed. Unlike the first two ones, where it felt empty and abrupt. He found himself in front of the villainess, unready and shaken, then what? He gets beheaded because he's acting foolish.
Perhaps in the first two routes, the lady had died later, and only then did he regress. That would mean he had somehow been trapped in a state where his soul lingered, unable to regress because Carmillia still lived.
Xian shuddered at the thought. He promised himself that if possible, he would plant a self-destruct spell in the lady, for control purposes, of course.
Was it heartless of him to think so? Xian didn't care either way. The continuation of his regression lies with her. He's going to use every bit of it since she's also definitely going to use him in the future.
Xian swore not to have any illusions of romance despite the desire to save the villainess. He did it anyways out of love for the game and curiosity.
It was the same this time. He was just curious what else could happen in the game. Even more now that the villainess was within his reach.
The same thing went as before, he went under assessment and training next. He was somewhat getting better with the sleeping and waking up on time.
The hearts also applied to other npc and extra's, which players exploited for reputation points. For instance, the head butler's gray heart, set at '50' rose to '51' because Xian maintained his schedule properly
A week later.
"I want to tour the city."
Carmillia inevitably wanted the same thing.
But Xian was prepared. He might be someone who only played games, but he did excel in it even if a little bit and grindings in dating sims was his specialty. If he was given freedom like in reality, he wasn't going to hold back even if it causes a stir.
This time the head butler looked at Xian first, an apparent frown forming between his brows.
"I fear you may find this butler inadequate milady. I shall accompany you as well."
Xian made sure to talk to the head butler beforehand. Saying things like he was lacking to serve the lady, being worried about his performance and he even got chastised for being pathetic and pessimistic.
He also failed in purpose on some of the escorting training today and acted flustered. The head butler whipped him more because of that, but he could tolerate it.
That left the head butler unconfident with his capabilities to even keep his cool.
Carmillia didn't voice any complaints, but there's a clear confusion in her face.
The head butler of the Montagne household is someone who have been proven and tested to be deeply loyal.
As far as Xian knew, he was involved in a lot of schemes and events in the game from the shadows, being the right hand man of the Duke.
His presence here with the villainess was to deter any looming threats before the academy classes starts and 'clean them up' beforehand.
Since he missed the coachman then the personnel was likely replaced from the inside during a crack in security. The coachman's level allowed him to exploit even a little bit of loophole.
Of course, Xian had to make sure that the coachman will have his chance to replace the personnel before the head butler joins them.
Why is he so confident that this will deter the assassin from killing the villainess?
Well, that was because, the head butler Morisson was an old monster, loyal to the Montagne's since his debut and loyal to them even after death. His arrangements even after dying made him as such.
And when people of certain strength meet, stealth could be very tricky, especially for the weaker party.
The two swordmaidens followed Carmillia as she left the estate, while Xian, was currently having a conversion with the head butler.
"Sir Moris, please wait." He made sure to call him the way other servants did.
"What is it this time young man?" The favorable impression of 51 had dropped to 39, because of his consecutive mistakes. Xian felt that it was a necessary sacrifice.
"Can I please have a weapon of my own?" He first made a plausible excuse to take the head butler's eyes away from the carriages and give the coachman to hatch his plan.
And since he knew of the situation, carrying a weapon was a must.
Why?
The game didn't introduce it right away to the player. But players could level up and distribute earned stat point. Of course, stat growth based on potential took most of it, but it was still better than nothing.
'Hehe, I have to killsteal at all cost.' He planned to end the coachman himself, recalling the formidable endurance like a cockroach he showed before.
A heroine's father? A powerful assassin? A martial master?
'So what?' There's no benefits in being allies with that man, so his choice was quick. Use him as a stepping stone.
After all there was no chance he will forgive the villainess who caused her daughter to be injured. And he also never had any role apart from being a dead father to his daughter.
A foolish man.
How is he so sure about leveling up then? It's instinct. The difficulty spike was so high and the danger came from a supposed peaceful period. How do they expect him to reach the end if he couldn't level up?
In such a high level area like the Montagne estate, the only mob he can farm is the staff. But here, they are humans and trickier to deal with, not coded mobs. Killing them would leave evidence and cause him to be hunted by Morisson himself.
If he doesn't level up from killing the coachman, then nevermind, it will just make his runs less enjoyable. He'd just proceed until the villainess was killed again. Rinse and repeat and eventually he will become a monster.
Xian was looking forward to their tour.
"Do you know how to use a weapon?" Morisson scrutinized him from top to bottom.
He agreed that Xian was rather muscular and imposing with his height. Coupled with his naturally mean look, he might just know how to wield one.
"Yes. Somewhat."
"Hm, this dagger will do for defending yourself." In the end, he led Xian to a storage room and fetched a thin pointed dagger. The edge was sharp and design exquisite despite the absence of its guard. A classic stiletto dagger.
Xian would've preferred a larger weapon, but he remembered in one novel that butlers must carry their weapon unseen. Making daggers, hidden weapon and short swords more practical to use in their line of work. Of course whether that's accurate never bothered him.
The concept and explanation was acceptable enough.
"Thank you."
"Hm." Morisson nodded as together they met with the carriage to be used.
In there, Xian could clearly see, the same man who were manning the carriage, acting as naturally as possible.
Still, Moris didn't seem to have noticed anything.
"Hm? Sir Moris, did our coachman change?" Xian purposely ran his mouth as the man in question flinched.
Morisson was somewhat getting fed up with Xian when he observed the coachman. He did so not because he believed Xian, but because he developed the habit to reexamine things again and again due to his line of work for years.
He went still and sifted through the faces of servant's in the estate. While he's only in this estate temporarily, memorizing the staff is a must. Of course, he was going to leave after 'clean up' so he didn't pay much attention.
Rarely had anyone ever dared to mess with their household if they didn't have the power to bear the consequences.
The two swordmaiden waiting outside began to hold their swords. The carriage doors was left open and inside, Carmillia can be seen looking out in amusement.
"If my memory doesn't fail me… I haven't seen you before." Morisson spoke in a grave tone as the surroundings grew silent and colder.
"Who are you?"
Xian was ready to witness a show.